Ikea's kitchen of the future: 3D food printing, mood lighting, virtual Gordon Ramsay
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted August 17th 2010 10:17AM
posted August 17th 2010 10:17AM
The kids at Ikea would like to float a couple "kitchen of the future" concepts at us. Apparently the Swedish furniture chain commissioned a report from The Future Laboratory (a London-based think tank previously seen in this space warning us of the dangers of "visual pollution" caused by all those pesky pico projectors that everybody has and which work really, really well). The skinny? By 2040, we'll have "mood kitchens" that read our "vibes, man" and adjust lighting and music in the process. Not only that, but you can expect such niceties as dining recommendations, self-cleaning appliances, integrated "sixth generation" iPads, celebrity chefs "hologrammed into" your home, and 3D food printing. These guys are certainly optimistic! Hell, we'll be happy if thirty years hence the typical kitchen isn't a leaking tent in a robot-run internment camp. PR after the break.
MOTHER OF ALL KITCHENS
IKEA predicts that by 2040, your kitchen will be ALIVE
According to an independent Future Kitchen report* by The Future Laboratory, commissioned by home furnishing specialists IKEA, by 2040 your kitchen will be your personal trainer, dietician, psychologist and lifestyle coach. It will respond to your energy levels, nutritional needs and mood, even with a high use of technology, it will also be sustainable and eco-friendly.
It's a case of Big Mother meets Mother Nature.
In thirty years time, the kitchen will be so technologically advanced that it will almost be alive, responding actively to our needs like only a mother could. To reflect this IKEA has created an image of the future kitchen – INTUITIV.
As you walk into the INTUITIV kitchen of the future, LED light projections adjust to your mood - it will know if you have a hangover via sensors that will read your brainwaves. Aromatherapy infused walls will be synced to your calendar, calming you before a big meeting or energising you before a gym session. The fridge will have selected some breakfast options, identifying the essential vitamins for your day via sensors. When you get home, a hologrammed chef will be on hand for recipe inspiration.
"The INTUITIV kitchen is a possible kitchen of the future with over one third of the UK population (41%) expecting that by 2040 we won't even have to cook for ourselves," says Carole Reddish, Deputy Managing Director of IKEA UK & Ireland. "Two more possible future kitchen scenarios are the ELEMENTARA, a kitchen which sees a return to nature, and SKARP, with seamless smart technology."
ELEMENTARA – The Back to Nature Kitchen
Nearly half of us (44%) think that the most important feature in our future kitchen will be energy saving
The ELEMENTARA kitchen will encourage you to grow your own food and be self-sufficient with a garden or mini allotment as a standard extension of the room. Food will be kept cool through cold larders and recycling facilities will be seamlessly incorporated into the kitchen.
Over two thirds of UK consumers (67%) try to buy energy efficient appliances suggesting that 'green awareness' is on the rise. IKEA already has products such as the RINGSKAR taps with a flow control function to avoid water waste and the RATIONELL recycling bins which help make household recycling easier.
The ELEMENTARA kitchen suggests that we will be going back to basics, making the most of natural physics rather than technology and avoiding energy consumption where possible. This is a core design principle at IKEA with products such as the oven hood extractor fans which can go in the dishwasher (a clean fan is much more energy efficient than a dirty one), the PS RESKEN bench which is composed of just three pieces of wood with no nails or screws (your weight simply locks the construction when you sit on it) and the PS BRUSE coffee table that looks solid but actually has hollow legs (to reduce the amount of wood used.) All IKEA appliances are also Energy class A rated.
SKARP - The Smart Kitchen
Over half of us (57%) think that technology will boost our kitchen experience
This kitchen will be intelligent, predicting its inhabitants' needs with smart technology. Synchronized appliances will make everything happen at the touch of a button, communicating through iPad style devices which will act as the brain of the kitchen, making our lives easier.
For the one third of Brits (41%) who expect that by 2040 they will no longer need to clean, their dreams are set to come true with smart surfaces creating self-cleaning kitchens. We will also never feel guilty for forgetting the recycling because your kitchen will have done it for you.
SKARP will also encourage energy efficient behaviour with devices like phone-apps which control our carbon emissions and thermostats which respond to our voices and fingerprints.
"With the majority of us spending the total of nearly a month in the kitchen over one year, it is the heart of the home" explains Carole Reddish. "IKEA is constantly innovating behind the scenes to respond to changes and challenges to life at home so we can offer solutions that best meet peoples' needs. We think that the economy, social changes, concerns for our health and especially the environment will greatly influence kitchen design in the future. Both today, and in 2040 we will be able to help people live a more sustainable life at home in their kitchens, help them organise and personalise their living space to suit their needs and always at the best value for money. Excellent design and quality will never be compromised. In fact all IKEA kitchens already today come with a 25 year guarantee so they are built to last!"
For immediate kitchen inspiration go to IKEA.co.uk/thekitchen which offers advice on everything you need to know about kitchen, from planning and organising to inspirational design tips.
--ENDS--
For more information, please contact the IKEA press office at Cake Media
on 020 7307 3169 or ikeateam@cakegroup.com
About the project
This project is part of IKEA's ongoing focus on how best to provide for consumers' lifestyle needs in their homes both now and in the future.
*The Future Laboratory and the Future Kitchen report
This research was commissioned by IKEA and carried out by The Future Laboratory in June 2010. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research and analysis underpins the report, spanning extensive desk and visual research, a consumer survey and expert interviews to expand on key themes. The survey polled the opinion of 1,895 respondents aged from 18 to 65+ years old living in the United Kingdom, including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Future Laboratory is one of Europe's foremost brand strategy, consumer insight and trends research consultancies. Its consumer survey and data research division, Future:Poll works with household panels globally to discover what's new, next and profitable in consumer thinking.
IKEA predicts that by 2040, your kitchen will be ALIVE
According to an independent Future Kitchen report* by The Future Laboratory, commissioned by home furnishing specialists IKEA, by 2040 your kitchen will be your personal trainer, dietician, psychologist and lifestyle coach. It will respond to your energy levels, nutritional needs and mood, even with a high use of technology, it will also be sustainable and eco-friendly.
It's a case of Big Mother meets Mother Nature.
In thirty years time, the kitchen will be so technologically advanced that it will almost be alive, responding actively to our needs like only a mother could. To reflect this IKEA has created an image of the future kitchen – INTUITIV.
As you walk into the INTUITIV kitchen of the future, LED light projections adjust to your mood - it will know if you have a hangover via sensors that will read your brainwaves. Aromatherapy infused walls will be synced to your calendar, calming you before a big meeting or energising you before a gym session. The fridge will have selected some breakfast options, identifying the essential vitamins for your day via sensors. When you get home, a hologrammed chef will be on hand for recipe inspiration.
"The INTUITIV kitchen is a possible kitchen of the future with over one third of the UK population (41%) expecting that by 2040 we won't even have to cook for ourselves," says Carole Reddish, Deputy Managing Director of IKEA UK & Ireland. "Two more possible future kitchen scenarios are the ELEMENTARA, a kitchen which sees a return to nature, and SKARP, with seamless smart technology."
ELEMENTARA – The Back to Nature Kitchen
Nearly half of us (44%) think that the most important feature in our future kitchen will be energy saving
The ELEMENTARA kitchen will encourage you to grow your own food and be self-sufficient with a garden or mini allotment as a standard extension of the room. Food will be kept cool through cold larders and recycling facilities will be seamlessly incorporated into the kitchen.
Over two thirds of UK consumers (67%) try to buy energy efficient appliances suggesting that 'green awareness' is on the rise. IKEA already has products such as the RINGSKAR taps with a flow control function to avoid water waste and the RATIONELL recycling bins which help make household recycling easier.
The ELEMENTARA kitchen suggests that we will be going back to basics, making the most of natural physics rather than technology and avoiding energy consumption where possible. This is a core design principle at IKEA with products such as the oven hood extractor fans which can go in the dishwasher (a clean fan is much more energy efficient than a dirty one), the PS RESKEN bench which is composed of just three pieces of wood with no nails or screws (your weight simply locks the construction when you sit on it) and the PS BRUSE coffee table that looks solid but actually has hollow legs (to reduce the amount of wood used.) All IKEA appliances are also Energy class A rated.
SKARP - The Smart Kitchen
Over half of us (57%) think that technology will boost our kitchen experience
This kitchen will be intelligent, predicting its inhabitants' needs with smart technology. Synchronized appliances will make everything happen at the touch of a button, communicating through iPad style devices which will act as the brain of the kitchen, making our lives easier.
For the one third of Brits (41%) who expect that by 2040 they will no longer need to clean, their dreams are set to come true with smart surfaces creating self-cleaning kitchens. We will also never feel guilty for forgetting the recycling because your kitchen will have done it for you.
SKARP will also encourage energy efficient behaviour with devices like phone-apps which control our carbon emissions and thermostats which respond to our voices and fingerprints.
"With the majority of us spending the total of nearly a month in the kitchen over one year, it is the heart of the home" explains Carole Reddish. "IKEA is constantly innovating behind the scenes to respond to changes and challenges to life at home so we can offer solutions that best meet peoples' needs. We think that the economy, social changes, concerns for our health and especially the environment will greatly influence kitchen design in the future. Both today, and in 2040 we will be able to help people live a more sustainable life at home in their kitchens, help them organise and personalise their living space to suit their needs and always at the best value for money. Excellent design and quality will never be compromised. In fact all IKEA kitchens already today come with a 25 year guarantee so they are built to last!"
For immediate kitchen inspiration go to IKEA.co.uk/thekitchen which offers advice on everything you need to know about kitchen, from planning and organising to inspirational design tips.
--ENDS--
For more information, please contact the IKEA press office at Cake Media
on 020 7307 3169 or ikeateam@cakegroup.com
About the project
This project is part of IKEA's ongoing focus on how best to provide for consumers' lifestyle needs in their homes both now and in the future.
*The Future Laboratory and the Future Kitchen report
This research was commissioned by IKEA and carried out by The Future Laboratory in June 2010. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research and analysis underpins the report, spanning extensive desk and visual research, a consumer survey and expert interviews to expand on key themes. The survey polled the opinion of 1,895 respondents aged from 18 to 65+ years old living in the United Kingdom, including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Future Laboratory is one of Europe's foremost brand strategy, consumer insight and trends research consultancies. Its consumer survey and data research division, Future:Poll works with household panels globally to discover what's new, next and profitable in consumer thinking.
Future casting like this is almost always way off
@mopey
Yep, I'm still waiting for my hovercar!
@dgoulston
and the hover board!
@dark star It's getting there.. http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/28/artist-creates-back-to-the-future-hoverboard-that-actually-ho/
All that tech and a bag of those little pegs to keep your cabinet shelves up that always break.
@chanceusc
Maybe that's why in the render the cabinets have virtually no shelves. Even in 2040 they can't make shelf pegs that last. Sad.
What?! Still no button so the kit will assemble itself?!
Truly absurd thinking, if you ask me.
Looks like the whole kitchen is made out of Liquidmetal.
@Spikie69 Apple MUST own ikea
technology growth in terms of processing power can actually be calculated but the added random variables make the future almost impossible to accurately calculate. Simple technology fundamentals can and always will drastically alter how we interact with our environment.
Gordon Ramsay is a very successful bitch. Marco Pierre White made that little fella cry back when Chef Ramsay was working for him in England. His whole "Hell's Kitchen," facade seems like an over compensation for convincing himself he is tough. Besides anyone worth their weight in Kumamoto Oysters knows Pierre is the "Devil in the Kitchen."
As for that "kitchen," I take it number "3" is what the Grillardin is going see when he looks at that "tallboy," under the influence of 3 hits of acid. Number "8" is probably a rack of knives that some shithead Culinary student decided to place up there in order to make room for a boombox that is thumping out "Personal Jesus," by Depeche Mode. Number "12" is where everyone "pre-games," before "dinner service," with a series of "no. 2 pencil sized gaggers." Number "2" in this wonderland is a bain-marie full of Lobster Consommé and "1" is where the "tickets fly." Number "11" is a mixing bowl full of pre-assembled salad components, that when coupled with a few pieces of last nights Duck Confit deep fried in duck fat, becomes a $18 starter. "6" is the cutting board in the corner, where some disgruntled 40+ year old lifer forces you to go, less he empty your bowels with his 10" Messermeister French. "7" is the Sauté oven, that has no knobs, doesn't work half the time and has already blown the facial hair off of some low-brow dipshit who reached in "real far," to lite the pilot Hansel and Gretel style. "4" is one of the "waitrons" sex toys which he or she washed out in the "prep sink," after they vigorously, yet tactfully and judiciously applied it along with the aid of the often missing and always smiling garde manger cook, who has an infinity for "tossing salads," on top of a 50 lb sack of Basamati Rice in "dry store." "9" seems to be a quick fix wall panel that is not air or water tight, so a black mold is creeping around its seems to be giving the "old Spanish lady with an encyclopedic knowledge of fish," severe respiratory problems. And number "10" is clearly the Droid and Verizon Wireless powered "86 Board."
"5" is the counter you leap over, like Liu Xiang en route to never working in another kitchen, except your own, again.
My guess.
@YoMamaOS That was the longest comment I've seen on engadget.
@YoMamaOS
Um...you did notice that this is supposed to be a home kitchen, not a professional kitchen, yes?
Either way, you seem to harbor some incredibly kitchen-related angst. However, it resulted in an amusing post, so great success.
And of course, being from Ikea it will all fall apart in under a year.
@Prevacator I have shelves that are 8+ years old and are still standing. It's cheap, what do you expect?
Ikea: Swedish for "Assembly Required"
Chances are that you'll get this future kitchen home, and you'll unpack it all and find out that its missing three pieces, then be required to pack it all up in its original packaging, haul it back to Ikea to exchange it.
Why don't they just say we'll have food replicators and be done with it
@superstar Because the Roddenberry family own the rights to "Food Replicators".
Nice.
2040? Stuff like this will happen sooner than 2040 in my opinion. I'd say closer to 2030.
6th generation iPad? Well, the press release just said "iPad style devices." I'm pretty sure the 6th generation iPad will be in less than five years unless you mean complete changes to the device ... (though I know it's just used as an example).
@Meekermoloko
I agree - I certainly hope we're way, way beyond the 6th generation of the iPad by then (25th - generation iPad 3d, anyone?)
I would guess less food go bad if use food printing
Does it play Crysis?
do the numbers come with the appliances, if so, im sold
so tired of counting how many appliances are in my kitchen, wen my friends ask
If this concept is gonna kick off only by 2040, I'm sure there'll be cheap robot chefs by then who can fix us some great five star delicacies. But you know, they need no mood stuff. So probably we could go for some mood-living rooms or dining rooms.
I completely agree this projection seems a bit unrealistic. However, as to some of the comments above, I own an Ikea kitchen and it holds up great.
Looks nice, but where is the key so we could see what the numbers are referring to?
They need to modernize industrial kitchens first and that would make it cheaper for the masses in the process. we obviously don't have 3d food printers and the like and may not for even more then three decades. I'm also assuming they've attacked sanitation head on and won because it apparently cleans itself. This future glimpse is just creepy